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A flight point is manned by a single level cap NPC, most often elite, known as flight masters. As of Patch 5.2, a flight path must first be "discovered" by visiting an area's flight master, who will grant access to their flight point's route. If a flight master has a flight path to teach you, a green will appear above his or her head, and the flight master will appear as a on your mini-map.

From Patch 4.2 to Patch 5.1, players would automatically learn flight paths for areas that are level-appropriate for them. The option still existed to track down those that are higher level the old-fashioned way.

Once you learn a flight path, it will be offered as a route by the flight master. If you've learned all consecutive flight paths in between, you can choose a far-off destination in the flight map window and you'll automatically fly there -- the routes will be chained together.

As of Patch 6.1, you can now fly to a destination point without knowing all the points in between. You still can't fly to ones you don't know, but this new feature prevents many of the inefficient routes that happened previously and also allows flying to destinations that were previously inaccessible.

Different flight paths cost different amounts, but generally increase in cost dramatically if they are between higher level expansion zones. The cost of flights is reduced by 5-20% due to the faction discount based on your reputation with the flight master's faction.

Flight paths are only slightly faster than a 280% flying mount. Flight paths usually take turns that do not need to be taken to reach their destinations. By using a swift flying mount, you can most likely beat a flight path to a destination. So if you were to fly from the Argent Tournament Grounds to Dalaran on an Epic Flying Mount it would clearly be faster. Flying mounts were previously not an option in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, leaving the flight paths as the fastest means of travel. This was changed in Cataclysm when flight was allowed in Azeroth.

If flight masters are attacked by members of the opposing faction, they will spawn a pair of adds to defend themselves (Enraged Wyverns or Enraged Felbats for Horde flight masters, Enraged Hippogryphs or Enraged Gryphons for Alliance). Flight masters, while hostile to enemy players, originally had no aggro radius to players. As of Cataclysm flight masters will now attack players unprovoked within their aggro radius. Certain places where both Alliance and Horde flight masters reside, such as Light's Hope Chapel, remain stationary unless attacked to allow players to remain there without causing unwanted PvP fights.

Originally at each flight point you had to select the next flight point you wanted to go to and so on until you reached your destination. AFK characters were more prevalent than they are now at flight points when the introduction of linked flight paths in Patch 1.10.0 allowed you to pick a point across the map and fly all the way there, provided that you know all the intermediate flight paths. For example, new players in Northrend sometimes quest in both Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord, but are unable to fly between them because they are linked by several intermediate flight paths in much higher level zones.

As time has passed, additional flight points have been added at various places. The way flight paths are linked is not always the most direct and expected route.

If you log out in flight, upon logging back on, you will continue your flight from the same spot where you logged out. However, in a flight of multiple legs, you will then land at the next waypoint of the journey. This behavior can be used to abort a flight, provided there are waypoints before the destination.

Interestingly, logging back in to an Alliance character using a flight path will change whichever steed (Hippogryph, Skeletal Gryphon, Dragonhawk) was being ridden before into a normal Gryphon, and Horde characters will log back in to find themselves riding a Wyvern.

As of Cataclysm, some flights may no longer be aborted by logging out in flight. Several attempts or even waiting for 10 or more seconds has not aborted a flight to land at the nearest stop. The flight continued until it reached the final destination previously set when the user logged out.

For example, if you are an orc or a troll and you visit the Crossroads before visiting Orgrimmar, talking to the Crossroads flight master will show that you can fly to Orgrimmar even though you haven't visited there yet.

The flight paths in Silithus have been moved from Valor's Rest to the new Cenarion Hold. Characters that previously discovered the Valor's Rest flight path will be treated as having discovered the Cenarion Hold flight path.

Fixed several problems with the flight path from Undercity to Hammerfall while passing through the Ruins of Andorhal.

Fixed some problems with the Ironforge to Stormwind flight path.

The Darkshire <-> Booty Bay flight paths no longer fly over the Gurubashi Arena in Stranglethorn Vale, and therefore no longer flag fliers as being in Free-for-All PvP. Also, they should no longer fly through the zeppelins coming in and out of the Grom'gol Base Camp.